A client reports anxiety, drowsiness, and headaches. These are side effects most commonly associated with which medication class?

A client reports anxiety, drowsiness, and headaches. These are side effects most commonly associated with which medication class?

• A. fluoxetine
• B. risperidone
• C. benztropine
• D. alprazolam

Answer: (A)

These symptoms point to the chills and activation often seen with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Fluoxetine is an SSRI, and these medications commonly cause headache and drowsiness, especially early in treatment, along with anxiety or jitteriness as the body adjusts to higher serotonin levels. The anxiety can be an initial reaction rather than a sign of worsening illness, while headaches and fatigue or drowsiness are frequent adverse effects. In contrast, the other drugs have different typical side effects: antipsychotics like risperidone often bring metabolic changes or extrapyramidal symptoms; anticholinergics like benztropine cause dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision; benzodiazepines like alprazolam mainly cause sedation, dizziness, and dependence risk rather than a pattern of anxiety plus headaches.

These symptoms point to the chills and activation often seen with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Fluoxetine is an SSRI, and these medications commonly cause headache and drowsiness, especially early in treatment, along with anxiety or jitteriness as the body adjusts to higher serotonin levels. The anxiety can be an initial reaction rather than a sign of worsening illness, while headaches and fatigue or drowsiness are frequent adverse effects.

In contrast, the other drugs have different typical side effects: antipsychotics like risperidone often bring metabolic changes or extrapyramidal symptoms; anticholinergics like benztropine cause dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision; benzodiazepines like alprazolam mainly cause sedation, dizziness, and dependence risk rather than a pattern of anxiety plus headaches.